Mushawarat donates 2 lakh for GujaratNew Delhi: In view of the critical situation of Gujarat where more than 650 innocent Muslims have been roasted alive in a genocidal attempt and properties worth more than a thousand crore rupees (as per the preliminary investigation) have been burnt or damaged and thousands of people are forced to live in relief camps, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat has decided to work with the well-known Islami Relief Committee of Gujarat [address on page 10 in this issue]. Mushawarat has decided to send Rs 2 lakh for rehabilitation of the victims. It has already sent first installment of Rs 1 lakh. Navaid Hamid, secretary of Mushawarat, appealed to well-wishers to donate whole-heartedly in this hour of need.

Instead of water we were given keroseneHyderabad: A forty-man group went to visit a dargah 40 kilometers away form Baroda. Altaf Ali Khan, a member of the group says that all 40 members were inside the dargah when the marauders set the dargah on fire before their eyes and disgraced the adjacent mosque and the Qur’an as well. All 40 fought with them for three days and were badly injured. Six teeth of Altaf were broken. The injured include 15 men and 25 women and they have been admitted in a hospital in Hyderabad. They said that Gujarat was burning and that they were given kerosene when they asked for water. They further said that police was not helping the victims. When the flag march of the army started they thought that the situation will be under control, but were shocked to see that the army men too were shouting slogans of Jay Siya Ram. There were roasted bodies and burnt vehicles everywhere. They did not feel safe until they reached Baroda airport, they added.

VHP/Bajrang Dal restrict Friday prayersBalrampur: District Magistrate has put a restriction on Juma prayers in the open Collectorate Compound. According to information, Muslim lawyers had been offering Friday prayers under an open tin-shed since long, because there is no mosque within hundred meters. The clients too used to offer namaz there. But the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists objected to it and threatened in an application to officers that they would perform puja at the same place if namaz is not banned which caused tension. District officials refused to ban namaz and deployed police personnel fearing mischief by VHP/Bajrang Dal. Later Muslims started offering namaz in the Badminton Court which is used for all political meetings and other programmes. But the VHP and Bajrang Dal again objected. Hence the present DM has banned namaz there. On 8 March when advocates went to offer namaz there, they were told that they cannot do so as per the written order of the DM. The restless namazis wandered here and there before finally offering namaz in the Collectorate Bar Association premises.

Quacks wreak havocNew Delhi: The business of fake medicines is in full swing due to negligence of State Health Ministry and irresponsible action of medicine control officials. Two people died last month after using fake medicines. The Health Department at that time saved itself by assuring that it will take drastic action against fake medicine dealers, but so far no action has been taken. About 20 companies are preparing herbal medicines in the capital and there is a good number of charlatans associated with the profession who have no medical certificates at all. To attract people’s attention to their fake medicines a number of benefits are described on the wrappers and they are so cheaply sold that gullible people desirous of good health are easily trapped. Medical Council India’s silence has put a question mark on its activities.

No Urdu student in High School Board examsKerana: There is not a single Urdu student in the High School Board Examinations of Public Inter College, Kerana.
Even medical students used to have Urdu along with other subjects till 1990, but due to strict rules of the management, Urdu medium students are going through difficult situations. Earlier it was easy to take up Urdu along with English and Sanskrit but the rule has been changed. If a student takes Urdu as a subject he has to leave English and other subjects which is the reason behind the fast declining number of Urdu students.

Muslims too responsible for Urdu’s declineBaghpat: A meeting of the Anjuman Urdu Baghpat felt that, apart from official apathy, Muslim attitude towards Urdu is equally responsible for the decline of Urdu. Hafiz Saeed Ahmad said that Urdu’s safety is our basic responsibility which we have to fulfill by keeping it alive in our houses. Molvi Muhammad Shahid Mazahiri said that to make primary education compulsory in mother tongue it is imperative that imams of mosques teach Qur’an and Urdu to children. The problem cannot be solved just by passing Urdu examinations and getting formal certificates, Dr Atiq Ahmad Siddiqui said. He further said that there are some so-called people who distribute fake certificates. It is an anti-Urdu policy. He said that we have to run an organized campaign to associate the present generation with
Urdu.